This article is the first in a series featuring Northwestern students and their research projects during the summer of 2020.

As a recipient of a Summer Undergraduate Research Grant, Weinberg sophomore Noah Rabinovitch is assisting Communication Prof. Megan Geigner with her research on linguistic use of hyphenated identities.

On campus, Rabinovitch, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is majoring in economics and environmental policy and is a member of the Brady Scholars Program in Ethics and Civic Life and the Global Engagement Summit Community Development Team.

Rabinovitch met Geigner during his Fall Quarter first-year seminar. While assisting her, he plans to focus on a comparative study of the LGBTQ+ and ethnic neighborhoods in Chicago.

Although Rabinovitch’s research had to be adjusted to a remote format, he emphasized the valuable skills of academic writing and time management that he has acquired. Forming a meaningful relationship with a faculty member has been particularly enriching for him.

“(Geigner) is very much a mentor figure, both in research and outside of it. She is an incredible resource,” Rabinovitch said.

Other than his research mentor, Rabinovitch highlighted the role of the Northwestern Libraries in accessing resources and providing guidance.

Beyond the summer, he plans to continue researching during his time at Northwestern and to eventually write a senior thesis for his environmental policy major. In the long term, he hopes to attend graduate school.

“This research has been a very rewarding opportunity to learn about the history of Chicago, which I had been wanting to do ever since I moved here,” he said.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @lauraisp405

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